Tossy's Page
| Introduction Hello friends ! How are you all?
First of all, let me introduce myself.
I'm Toshiko Yuzawa. Please call me Tossy. I used to be
called "Coco" by my foreign friends before. I
still love this nickname, but I'm getting older. Probably
You feel strange if you had to call me "Coco",
so don't you think "Tossy" is better than
"Coco" ?
I'm a very positive thinking parson. Always I have some
aims ,then I try to achieve such aims. Unfortunately I'm
not so diligent. I would rather say that I am lazy. But
but I never give up my aim or dream, so it will come true
even it takes some time.
Don't you want to know my
present dream ?
I'd like to speak English fluently, then I may get a good
job. Also if I could earn enough money to support my
life, I would want to help suffering children overseas as
a member of volunteer groups like NGO's until I become
too old to move.
So I have to study English very hard !!
Please get in touch with me if you want to know about me
more or to share dreams.
Tossy
|
 Please give me messages
in English
Japanese Homepage
|
Memories of Cape
Town
I like Cape Town best.
Hi! Friends! How are you
this week ?
Did you see my picture with big open
jaws? I am sorry I have never laughed like the
picture before, This is the first time I laughed like this.
Probably our class may make me happy. Please don't misunderstand
me, I am more sophisticate and noble.....???? You know?
Actually, my character appeared on this picture exactly.
When you feel lonely and sad,
try to laugh with a big mouth. Such a heavy feeling come out from
your body through your mouth. Laugh and sing a song loudly can
make you cheer up !! Try it! You can forget about your worry soon
with your laughing , You will find that your worry isn't so
serious.
When I was in my twenties, before
I got married, I have worked in Cape town in Rep. of South Africa
for 2 years. People say "Cape town has the most beautiful
landscape in the world." I really think so.
I have
been California, Washington D.C. in U.S.A., Manila in Philippine,
London in England, Greece, Taiwan and Spain. Among these cities,
I still think Cape Town is the most beautiful.
Probably you don't know that
Cape town is located in around the same latitude of Tokyo. So it
has four seasons and you can see a lot of flowers or plants we
have in Japan.. Many spring flowers are now in bloom over the
town.
But in
summer, the climate is not as humid as the one in Tokyo. The air
is always dry and fresh.
I'm not
sure about these days, but when I was in Cape town, a lot of
Japanese tuna fishing boats stayed there ,and some gentle
fishermen treated us marberase tuna fish, oysters , clubs ,
prawns , lobsters , ear shells etc. We can't count the number of
sea foods we can eat in Cape Town. They are so fresh. I have
never eaten better tuna in Japan than the ones in Cape town..
Next time, I will tell you about
people in Cape Town. If you are interested in South Africa,
please read my article next time, too.
I had a cold already. Be careful
not to catch cold. everybody!!
See you !
About the Republic of
South Africa
Hi Everyone ! How is
this week ? I am very fine….This is what I always say. But actually I was a little bit tired this
week. So I'll try to sleep and eat well in the weekend.
This time, I would
like to tell you what kind of people were living in Cape Town. Of
course They might have changed a little by now because I was
there about 20 years ago.
Those days the
Republic of South Africa was adopting the famous political system
called "the Apartheid"
There are three
groups of races in South Africa. The people who came from Europe and North America are
White. Such people must have fair skin. The people who came from
Asian or Arabic countries and the people of mixed White and
Black, are called Colored. Their complexion is not so fair or so
dark.. And African native people are called Black,
The people belong to
Black category are from Africa. Their mother land is Africa, but
they had to live separately from White people's society
How was Japanese ? We
were called the honorable White, because Japan was a rich
and advanced country.
In Cape Town, I
never felt distinction. I had no Black friends there.
Now the political
system was completely changed. There is no Apartheid any more.
Thanks God ! All men are created equal.
At last I can tell
you that every person in South Africa is sweet and nice. If you
compare South Africa with Japan, it is still more dangerous
because there are a lot of poor people. However I dare to say ,
"Cape Town is my best place".
Any Country has its
good points and bad points. It's just like people. So if you are
interested in South Africa, please visit there once. I bet you'll
have quite a nice memory.
Enjoy Your life !
See you then.
The Reason I decided to go to South
Africa.
Hi
Everybody !! How are you all ?
I am very fine
. I can prove you how much I'm fine and healthy because I received a result of a physical
checkup (NINGEN-DOGGU) It said I'm very healthy and every part of
my body is all right except the brain.
Today I'd like to
tell you why I went and lived in Cape Town. But first I have to
talk about my background as an actress.
When I was a child, I
had two big dreams. One was to live in English speaking countries
such as the U.S.A. The other one was to become a theater actress.
You saw my picture,
didn't you?. I am not so pretty like movie stars , so I decided
to be an actress who act marvelously. When I was a student at the
drama school, l belonged to one drama company (GEKIDAN). I used to carry a drama scenario and an English
dictionary no matter where I go. After
the graduation exam, only 3 students were chosen to become a
member of that drama company.
After the exam.my teacher told me that my acting was the best of
all, but this company choose some good looking students because it is easy for them to get jobs on
TV than I.
It
might be my destiny. But I couldn't give up
being an actress, then I made my own amateur's drama group. At the same time , I
belonged to a small TV production to prove I could get jobs in TV
programs. And you know what happened ? I had a few jobs on TV in
which I have some lines to speak, however soon I felt that TV
world was not suit me really.
When I was
disappointed at my future, the teacher who was running her own
English school at her house, asked me whether I would like to go
to the Rep. of South Africa as an interpreter secretary for one
Japanese businessman or not. I didn't have any confidence
in speaking English as an interpreter, besides I didn't know
anything about South Africa at all.
What do you think
about my answer? Probably You answered " No". but
in my character there was nothing but "Yes". I didn't
think anything about bad situation. I started to have a hope for
my future. I think I am a very simple-minded person. I always
believe my sixth of sense. I reported my decision to my parents, my
drama mates , my steady boyfriend and my manager of the TV
production. Everybody except my parents complained of me so
severely . After I persuaded them all,
I was on an airplane for the Republic of South Africa with an unknown Japanese businessman who had a
big business dream there.
Continue
to next week . See you !
Tossy.
The First Stage in the
South Africa.
My Boss had a dream to
establish a fishing company, dealing with lobsters. There
were a lot of natural lobsters in the South Africa, however many
South African fishing companies or Japanese fishing companies had
already scooped out most of all Lobsters.
As soon as we arrived at
Johanessburg, which is the entrance to South Africa and the
capital, we visited some branches of Japanese companies, such as
"Marubeni" "Nihonsuisan"
"Taiyougyogyo" "Nissyouiwai", etc.. , and got
their advice. One of them introduced us one South African who
lived in Capetown and had a big fishing company there.
While we stayed in Johaness-beurg, my boss didn't need my
English so much. He was busy meeting many Japanese business man
there. So I felt as if I came to South Africa as a tourist. I was
so happy because people in the hotel, restaurants, taxies could
understand my English and I mostly could understand what they
were saying. I became easy going as I thought it might not
so difficult to be an interpreter on business.
We flied to Capetown soon. The town was filled with the smell of
the sea. I found a flat located just in front of the sea for my
boss, It looks like a gorgeous resort rental room. This
flat could be used as his office, too.
I phoned the company called "Blue Oceans" , which
was introduced by Japanese fishing company in Johhaness-beurg.
After I made an appointment with the president of this company,
I quivered a bit because I started worrying about whether I could
understand their conversation or not. I couldn't sleep well
the night before our first meeting.
Of course I had explained my boss about my English
capability. But he had to depend on me for every conversation,
and he had to start his business by my English. I thought there
was no excuses in the business. I got money from my boss. I
should even pretend to understand everything and make his
business success.
First I asked my boss what he
would say at the meeting a few days before the meeting. Next I
translated what he said into English. And I decided to
record the conversation at the meeting on a tape recorder. Lastly
I asked him not to make any decision at the first meeting because
I might misunderstand their opinions.
Well What do you think would happen at the meeting ? I 'll
tell you next time.
Tossy
My first job as an interpreter.
Just 10 o'clock a.m., my boss and I arrived at the reception of
Blue Ocean Lit. This company seemed not so big . Probably about less than 100
employees might be working there.
When I told a middle-aged receptionist that we had an appointment with the president. She confirmed it without smile, then she guided
us to a meeting room. I thought she was not friendly.
A few minuets later three men came into the room with smile. First we introduced each
other. (Now I forgot their real name so I will call the president of this company
Mr. Blue for your convenience. In the beginning Mr. Blue seemed to be very polite and
friendly because a Japanese big trading company introduced us to him.
I thought that first of all it is better for me to tell them my poor English
proficiency. so I
said an excuse like this, " Awfully sorry , I can understand only
daily English. But I try to do my best for this business meeting."
They suddenly laughed and Mr. Blue asked me immediately "Well. You can speak only daily English
. How about Night English ?"
I couldn't understand what means, but from their laughing I felt He was teasing me
and I realized they thought that I was not only an interpreter for business but a lover of my boss.
I answered him "My boss hasn't had a business meeting at night time
so I have not learned Night English yet. If you have a meeting with my boss
at night, I will study it."
And I gave them a big smile gazing at Mr. Blue's eyes..
I didn't know whether they understood what I wanted to say or not, but they stopped
grinning anyway.
Actually I was so upset to know what other people think about the reason this Japanese business man took an interpreter who
couldn't speak English well.
But I tried to concentrate on becoming the ears and the mouth of my boss.
Probably I might misunderstand details, however I was sure I mostly understood
what they were talking about. I always think that I am on the most important
stage as an actress,
and my sixth sense helps me to understand their conversationsl.
In short Mr. Blue said the continental shelf around Cape Town is small so It is
not good for Lobsters to live. Besides Japanese fishing
boats scooped every lobster using a big net, so there is no baby lobsters left.
The Amount of lobsters we can get around Cape Town is decreasing year by year.
At last Mr. Blue recommend that my boss research the sea in Transkai. Transkai was an independent country for African natives . The
South Africa government established this country for natives as a kind of experiment.
Mr. Blue explained that if is hard for white category people to have a business with people in Transkai, because they
are not consistent. Even if they say "Yes" today , t the next day they may say "No".
When He told us this story , I remembered we had a similar story in Japan. The story was
"An injured bird trying to cross a wide river". He wants to go to his nest over the
river, but he can't fly because of his injuries. Then a crocodile comes to the bank and
says
"Hey a bird, What is the matter?" The bird says " I want cross this river, but I can't
fly"
" O.K. You stand on my back , and I swim to the other side. It is easy"
The bird was glad to hear that and get on the crocodile back and they arrive at the other side
of the river. The bird appreciated his kindness, but when a bird gets down on the
land walks to the crocodiles mouth, the crocodile opens his mouth and eats the bird."
You know which character in the story is Transkai people ? According to Mr. Blue,
it is a crocodile.
Thanks to their kindness I could complete my first job.
I tell you the truth, when they explained their opinions, they drew a lot of pictures for me.
Anyway I was really exhausted that night. I didn't want to talk to anybody. Of course I didn't need to speak Night English to anybody.
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